Col Shumani Bethuel Raphulu is the top detective in the country.
This was announced during this year's national service excellence awards ceremony that was held at the International Convention Centre in Durban last Friday.
Raphulu, who is stationed at the Thohoyandou Cluster detectives, said that he achieved this through hard work and not through a written test or exam. "Hard work and dedication are the key to this achievement," he said.
"Working hard and not looking at the time to leave for home and regarding every case as serious are the keys to success," he added.
He said that he was very happy for the accolades and thanked his colleagues and family. "The support I get from my team and my family, even when I have to work late, also played part in this achievement."
Raphulu also recalled some of the cases that he had worked on and said that one that was still very fresh in his mind was that of the "Univen serial killer-rapist," Ndivhuwo Ntsieni, who was found guilty of several murders, rapes and robbery in May 2016.
In his verdict in the Limpopo High Court sitting in Thohoyandou, Acting Judge Jackson Mushasha strongly commended the good work done by Raphulu and his team.
The Commissioner of Police of Limpopo, Lt-Gen Nneke Ledwaba, who attended Friday's event, was at a loss for words when expressing his delight. "I have never seen something like this before", he said. "These accolades are bound to serve as an inspiration to other members, that hard work indeed pays. I regard this as a challenge as these members have raised the bar and are therefore expected to perform even better in going forward," he concluded.